§ 12-747 — Same; comprehensive plan; contents; procedure for adoption; annual review of plan

(a) A city planning commission is hereby authorized to make or cause to be made a comprehensive plan for the development of such city and any unincorporated territory lying outside of the city but within the same county in which such city is located, which in the opinion of the planning commission, forms the total community of which the city is a part. The city shall notify the board of county commissioners in writing of its intent to extend the planning area into the county. A county planning commission is authorized to make or cause to be made a comprehensive plan for the coordinated development of the county, including references to planning for cities as deemed appropriate. The provisions of this subsection may be varied through interlocal agreements.
(b) The planning commission may adopt and amend a comprehensive plan as a whole by a single resolution, or by successive resolutions, the planning commission may adopt or amend parts of the plan. Such resolution shall identify specifically any written presentations, maps, plats, charts or other materials made a part of such plan. In the preparation of such plan, the planning commission shall make or cause to be made comprehensive surveys and studies of past and present conditions and trends relating to land use, population and building intensity, public facilities, transportation and transportation facilities, economic conditions, natural resources and may include any other element deemed necessary to the comprehensive plan. Such proposed plan shall show the commission's recommendations for the development or redevelopment of the territory including: (a) The general location, extent and relationship of the use of land for agriculture, residence, business, industry, recreation, education, public buildings and other community facilities, major utility facilities both public and private and any other use deemed necessary; (b) population and building intensity standards and restrictions and the application of the same; (c) public facilities including transportation facilities of all types whether publicly or privately owned which relate to the transportation of persons or goods; (d) public improvement programming based upon a determination of relative urgency; (e) the major sources and expenditure of public revenue including long range financial plans for the financing of public facilities and capital improvements, based upon a projection of the economic and fiscal activity of the community, both public and private; (f) utilization and conservation of natural resources; and (g) any other element deemed necessary to the proper development or redevelopment of the area. Before adopting or amending any such plan or part thereof, the planning commission shall hold a public hearing thereon, notice of which shall be published at least once in the official city newspaper in the case of a city or in the official county newspaper in the case of a county. Such notice shall be published at least 20 days prior to the date of the hearing. Upon the adoption or amendment of any such plan or part thereof by adoption of the appropriate resolution by a majority vote of all members of the planning commission, a certified copy of the plan or part thereof, together with a written summary of the hearing thereon, shall be submitted to the governing body. No comprehensive plan shall be effective unless approved by the governing body as provided by this section. The governing body either may: (1) Approve such recommendations by ordinance in a city or resolution in a county; (2) override the planning commission's recommendations by a 2 / 3 majority vote; or (3) may return the same to the planning commission for further consideration, together with a statement specifying the basis for the governing body's failure to approve or disapprove. If the governing body returns the planning commission's recommendations, the planning commission, after considering the same, may resubmit its original recommendations giving the reasons therefor or submit new and amended recommendations. Upon the receipt of such recommendations, the governing body, by a simple majority thereof, may adopt or may revise or amend and adopt such recommendations by the respective ordinance or resolution, or it need take no further action thereon. If the planning commission fails to deliver its recommendations to the governing body following the planning commission's next regular meeting after receipt of the governing body's report, the governing body shall consider such course of inaction on the part of the planning commission as a resubmission of the original recommendations and proceed accordingly. The comprehensive plan and any amendments thereto shall become effective upon publication of the respective adopting ordinance or resolution.
(c) An attested copy of the comprehensive plan and any amendments thereto shall be sent to all other taxing subdivisions in the planning area which request a copy of such plan. Such plan or part thereof shall constitute the basis or guide for public action to insure a coordinated and harmonious development or redevelopment which will best promote the health, safety, morals, order, convenience, prosperity and general welfare as well as wise and efficient expenditure of public funds.
(d) At least once each year, the planning commission shall review or reconsider the plan or any part thereof and may propose amendments, extensions or additions to the same. The procedure for the adoption of any such amendment, extension or addition to any plan or part thereof shall be the same as that required for the adoption of the original plan or part thereof.

Legislative History

L. 1991, ch. 56, § 7; L. 1997, ch. 147, § 4; May 1.